by Ella A. Smith
When we are happy, sad, surprised or upset, it can be seen on our faces. Since it is the first thing many people notice about us, keeping the face looking its best is the smartest thing you can do for yourself.
In our world today, the face is a critical part of communication.
When we are happy, sad, surprised or upset, it can be seen on our faces. Since it is the first thing many people notice about us, keeping the face looking its best is the smartest thing you can do for yourself.
Clean, healthy skin will boost your confidence and raise your self-esteem, because it is constantly exposed to the environment, the face also shows signs of aging before many other body parts.
Proper care has been proven to aid in keeping skin looking and feeling younger.
A facial masque softens the skin, unclog pores and remove impurities. It also helps to replace lost moisture and soothe the skin. Masks are an important element in beauty care and facial masks are some of the oldest known beauty treatments.
The ancient Egyptians used mud and clay to remove dead cells and heal blemish. During the early 1600 many European women experimented with milk and egg masks. The Indians used herbs and spice for their beauty treatment, even we African were not left out, the Yoruba’s used OSU (can wood) to mask face and body of a bride to be for glowing skin. Many other ingredients have been used since, such as fresh foods, flower and herbs, to cleanse and nourish the skin.
You can customize your own facial mask, and it’s fun to make, can be used every day, once a week or whenever you feel your skin can use a special treat and pampering.
The following recipes are enough for one application. Unless you are sharing the product with a friend which would always be fun.
1. Marie Antoinette masque
I egg
4 tbsps. Of nonfat dry milk powder
Juice of 1 lemon
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix well. You can also mix well by stirring with a fork or wire whisk.
Apply to face and neck (optional) and allow to dry, approximately 15minutes.
Use the remaining cream as a cleanser to remove the mask and rinse with warm and pat dry.
This mask was Marie Antoinette, wife of King Louis xvi beauty treatment, to keep her skin clear and glowing. Today it is a popular facial treatment throughout France. It is suitable for all skin types.
2. Beauty mayo
1 1/2 tbsps. of mayonnaise
4 tbsps. Of grated carrots
Mix together and spread over face and leave on for 15 minutes, rinse with warm water and pat dry.
I call it beauty mayo because it contains everything you need for beautiful skin and hair. Carrot an excellent source of beta carotene or porvitamin A which is important for healthy skin, grated carrot hydrate skin and clear away dead cells. Mayonnaise contain eggs, vegetable oil, vinegar and lemon juice which are essentially for beauty treatment.
3. French clay masque
1 tbsp. of clay powder
2 to 3 tsps. of clean water
Mix the clay and water together well until you have smooth paste.
Apply over face with finger and neck avoiding the eye area.
Relax and let the mask dry completely, about 20 minutes.
Clay has been used for centuries in beauty treatment to pull pollutants out of the skin and refine the skin texture. This mask can also make a wonderful full body treatment. Try or china clay another popular powder found in many drug stores.
4. Old fashioned oatmeal masks
For oily skin
8 tbsps. of cooked oatmeal
1 egg white
1 tbsp. of lemon juice fresh
½ cup of mashed apple
For dry skin
8 tbsps. of cooked oatmeal
1 egg yolk
½ banana mashed
1 tbsp. of honey
For normal skin
8 tbsps. of cooked oatmeal
1 whole egg
2 tsps. Of honey
Mix all ingredients in form a smooth paste and spread over face.
Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
Oatmeal comfort and nourish the skin. its rich in protein ,potassium, iron, phosphate, magnesium and silicon.it is perfect for individual with sensitive skin because it is naturally gentle and mild. The three masks above is an oatmeal mask for all skin type.
Tips
- Remove all traces of makeup and wash your face thoroughly, using a mild soap or cleansing cream before using masks.
- Facial masks as to any treatment should be done according to skin type or skin requirement, using ingredient that are best for your skin type, i.e. oily/dry skin.
- Masks should be rinse off with warm not hot water, then rinse finally with cold water to close pores.
- Always moisturize after treatment according to skin type.
If you don’t care for your skin, who will?
Stay beautiful in and out.
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Ella A. Smith is a Natural beauty expert and she blogs at ellasbeautytips.wordpress.com. She tweets from @Ellasbeautytips
Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.